Ms Emily O'Reilly:

I really empathise with what the Deputy is saying. At the moment, I have a relative in a hospital not here but in the UK. It is an NHS hospital in London and they are doing their best.

It is really hard to imagine that this is the richest city in one of the richest countries in the world when one sees the gaps in very basic care that this relative of mine is receiving. Of course I am not British but I know my way around and who to talk to. The frustration that my relative and I feel about the difficulty of getting decent care, let alone accountability for the poor quality of care, is horrible and the pain is horrible. The pain and frustration can be relieved in some degree if people are held accountable. I do not mean in a punishing way but somebody at least saying this should not happen and this is what we will do to fix it. After visiting my relative two weeks ago I went back to a nice hotel in London and had a nice dinner that evening with my daughter. I felt as if I had gone from the developing world into the developed world. One can read about the contrast but it is quite shocking when one experiences it. I know I am getting a bit emotional and personal about my own particular issue, but I really feel that way. I repeat it is a vital function of this committee that people want to be heard in that deep sense, where somebody has really listened to them and understood what they want and then attempted, even if they failed, to try to get it for them. Please come back to us and we will see if we can do anything in relation to that.